biotechnology

‘Biotechnology’ generally refers to the use of a living organism or part of a living organism or process for a ...

Genetic modification is back on the political agenda in Aotearoa New Zealand. The issue may not be as hotly contentious as it once was, but big ...

We all need protein to live and stay healthy. However, many protein sources are becoming an increasingly expensive way to meet our needs – both economically ...

RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural process that occurs in cells where small RNA molecules ‘silence’ or decrease the activity of specific genes by preventing them ...

RNA interference is both a natural process and a novel biotechnology tool in which small RNA molecules ‘silence’ or decrease the activity of specific genes by ...

New Zealand Algae Innovations Ltd operated the only spirulina farm in New Zealand. Under the brand name Tahi Spirulina, it sold a range of spirulina food ...

Dr Sarah Kessans is a scientist with big dreams and the skills to make them happen. Sarah is a biochemist and works in the field of ...

Extremophilic microorganisms are called extremophiles and live in environments considered hostile to most forms of life. Scientists have only discovered life in these extreme environments in ...

What are extremophilic microorganisms? Let’s start by looking closer at microorganisms. All the organisms we know about on Earth are either cellular (by far the majority) ...

Proteins are one of four main classes of biomolecules in living organisms. The others are lipids, which form our membranes, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), which ...

Food preservation is something that most people take for granted. Our cupboards contain tins, jars, sealed bags and boxes. Refrigerators and freezers store perishable foods. We ...

We all know that single-use plastics are a problem for our environment, but many single-use products can be convenient and more economic than less-problematic alternatives. So ...

Scientists and hapū are investigating whether kina (a New Zealand sea urchin) can become our next high-value nutraceutical, functional food product. A nutraceutical is a food ...

In November 2010, the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae (Psa) was discovered in a Te Puke kiwifruit orchard. Psa had previously decimated kiwifruit crops in other ...

PCR is shorthand for a simple but very useful procedure in molecular biology called the polymerase chain reaction. It is a technique used to amplify a ...

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to make millions of copies of a target piece of DNA. It is an indispensable tool in modern molecular ...

An inquiry approach is a method often used in science education. The question bank provides an initial list of questions about nanoscience and places where their ...

Nanoscience involves the study of chemical and physical changes that happen at the nanoscale. Researchers and scientists are interested in the nanoscale, because when many materials ...

MacLab is a successful biotechnology company that extracts bioactives from New Zealand green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) for the biopharmaceutical industry. The company has a strong commitment ...

Below are some interesting facts about food. Pacific oysters are high in zinc, iron, iodine and the essential amino acids taurin and hypotaurine which reduce blood ...

In this video conference, find out how bacteria are being used to fight sore throats. Join 'Supervader' and participants from Wellington’s 2006 Kids’ Conference as they ...

Wētā have been in New Zealand for around 190 million years. Do they live on school grounds? And if so, what do they eat at mealtime? ...

As New Zealanders looking to the future, we are faced with many opportunities – and challenges. These include improving the health of all our people, advancing ...

The winners of the fourth annual KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards were announced at the end of June 2016. The awards recognise the commercial success of scientific ...

What’s going on inside us when we get sick? What do germs have to do with us getting sick? How does our body help us to ...